Article: This Physicist Says We Don’t Take COVID Seriously Enough — The Tyee

[Chandelier]

https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2025/10/31/Physicist-COVID-Seriously-Enough/

AI Summary:

This Physicist Says We Don’t Take COVID Seriously Enough​

Ongoing Impact of COVID​

Physicist and complexity scientist Yaneer Bar-Yam warns that COVID-19 remains a major global health threat nearly six years after its emergence. He points to two “realities”:

1. A JAMA study showing health-related work absences in the U.S. remain 12.9% higher than before the pandemic, tied to ongoing COVID circulation.
2. Excess deaths remain elevated—about 2% above pre-pandemic levels, equating to roughly 120,000 unexpected deaths per year in North America.

The Health Risks of Repeated Infection​

Bar-Yam says repeated COVID infections raise risks for heart disease, diabetes, dementia, immune system dysfunction, and virus reactivation such as shingles. He compares the cumulative effects to untreated HIV, noting both can cause chronic inflammation, immune exhaustion, and accelerated aging. Recent studies link COVID to increased cancer risk, including cancers related to HPV.

He calls this a “slow-moving immune decline crisis,” describing how brain damage, immune dysregulation, and cardiac injury may threaten society’s overall functioning. “Brain fog,” he emphasizes, reflects measurable structural loss.

Prevention and Policy​

Bar-Yam argues that while no treatment exists for long COVID, prevention tools—clean air, respirator masks, testing, and reduced exposure—are available but underused. He supports new standards recognizing COVID as airborne, with N95 masks recommended for healthcare workers and improved air quality standards in schools and hospitals.

Risks to Children​

Recent studies show children face long COVID risks similar to adults. A 2024 JAMA study found 10–15% of infected children develop long COVID; a 2025 Lancet study showed reinfection doubles that risk. Reported conditions include heart inflammation, fatigue, cognitive issues, and organ dysfunction.

Call for Action​

Bar-Yam urges renewed commitment to public health, including ventilation, masking, and vaccination in schools. Through his initiative Unpolitics, he seeks to depoliticize COVID responses and rebuild community-based health action.

 

[Kalliope]

That was a great article! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Chandelier]

From the interview :

“The fight in the big pandemic public health story,” says Bar-Yam, “has moved from proving COVID is airborne to building a public health system that acts like it.”

Meanwhile, not a single mention of COVID in this article:

UK ‘to lose 600,000 workers to illness without better health support at work’

Exclusive: Royal Society of Public Health says ‘fundamental shift’ needed in how firms help those with health conditions

www.theguardian.com

AI Summary

Title: UK Risks Losing 600,000 Workers to Illness Without Major Workplace Health Reform

Rising Workforce Inactivity
A report from the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) warns that 600,000 more people could leave the UK workforce in the next decade due to long-term illnesses unless employers improve health support. By 2035, over 3.3 million adults may become economically inactive, costing the nation £36 billion annually.

Call for a National Health Standard
The RSPH urges the government to introduce a national health and work standard to ensure all employees receive basic wellbeing support. It highlights conditions such as musculoskeletal issues, mental health problems, and cardiovascular disease as key drivers of lost productivity.

Policy Review and Economic Impact
The upcoming Keep Britain Working review, led by Sir Charlie Mayfield, is expected to propose measures for healthier, more inclusive workplaces. Experts argue that investing in workforce wellbeing, particularly through better managerial training and early intervention, would reduce absenteeism, boost productivity, and strengthen the economy.